True Love's Kiss
by aserene
Summary: Disney song fic collection featuring Jibbs.
1. Author's Note

**Title: True Love's Kiss**

**Rating: K-K (this is Disney folks)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS, or any of the Disney songs. I only wish I did. **

_**Author's Note:**__To my readers, this will be a collection of song fics all featuring Disney songs and not to be confused with "Expressing the Inexpressible" Collection. I can promise you tons of fluff all though the first one doesn't exactly reflect that. It will be all happiness and Disney Fairy Tale Endings. _

_Promise._

_A'serene._

_Once again requests will be taken. _

"**Reporter: What's that like for you…**

**Alan Menken: It's like the world as it should be."**

**Alan Menken composed the music for multiple Disney songs and movies including the Littler Mermaid (with Howard Ashman) and Beauty and The Beast. **


	2. So Close

**Title: So Close**

**Rating: K**

**Spoilers: None. **

**Disclaimer: "So Close" From Disney's Enchanted sung by James Marsden, I don't NCIS either.**

**Summary: Almost believing this was not pretend…**

* * *

Gibbs had searched pretty much the whole building at least once when he finally made his way back to the catwalk with MTAC. He was looking for his former partner/current boss and he couldn't find her. Which was unusual because she sure had been in a mood and chances were his little fight with the FBI was the cause. He'd been to her office, to MTAC, to Abby's lab, to Autopsy, checked the garage twice, he wasn't sure where else to look and finally went back to her office determined to wait her out. He knew she hadn't left the building, he'd found her security detail was still around. They just didn't know where she was. Mainly due to the fact that she refused to have them follow her when she was in the building. As he was reaching her office he noticed Cynthia was back from wherever she'd been working on some papers.

"She in?" he inquired attempting to play nice.

"She's downstairs."

"Where?"

"The Child care center," Cynthia answered hesitantly. She knew it seemed like an odd spot for the Director of NCIS to be, but she wasn't about to reveal why. Gibbs thought it was a bit odd, but he didn't say anything and instead wandered down to the childcare center. Usually he would have expected to hear laughing and giggling and noise that children are incapable of not making and yet he heard the beginning chimes of a song and soft girly sighs. He entered the room nodding to the usual caretaker and it didn't take him long to spot what was wrong with the picture. The Director of NCIS was leaning against the back wall, eyes focused like all the children at the large TV playing some movie, with a dancing couple.

**_You're in my arms  
And all the world is calm  
The music playing on for only two  
So close together  
And when I'm with you  
So close to feeling alive_**

He had no idea what the movie was about, but it didn't take a DiNozzo to figure out that the couple now dancing was the star-crossed lovers. He watched them slowly move to the dance floor in the ballroom decked out in some sort of masquerade style and then turned his attention back to what he'd been looking for. Jennifer Shepard was leaning against the wall, her eyes transfixed on the dance, and yet to him it looked as if she were a thousand miles away. She had a faint smile on her face that he could almost place in a memory of another country but it wasn't quite the same. This one held a tinge of melancholy to it and he wasn't quite sure why. Of course he wasn't quite sure why she was standing in the childcare center watching a movie he was pretty sure was produced by Disney.

_**A life goes by  
Romantic dreams will stop  
So I bid mine goodbye and never knew  
So close was waiting, waiting here with you  
And now forever I know  
All that I wanted to hold you**_

_**So close**_

He watched the couple on screen began to hesitantly dance and he wondered why the moves seemed so familiar. He glanced over at Jen again, who still hadn't noticed he was there, and he could see something in her eye, like she was perhaps dancing the steps in her mind or something. He listened carefully to lyrics and thought that they had a rather moving sound to them, a love song naturally, but it was a different kind of love song. A song about past love, love that was never allowed the chance to continue, or was being forced aside by something else and all they had were small bits and pieces of well pretend, he thought sadly. The thought of going up to her and asking her to dance seemed rather ironic at that point but it didn't stop his feet. He found himself alongside the wall just about two feet from her. She glanced up in surprise but quickly focused back on the movie. He assumed that meant if he was staying he could, but no disruptions. So stay he would.

_**So close to reaching that famous happy end  
Almost believing this was not pretend  
And now you're beside me and look how far we've come  
So far we are so close**_

He sighed at the predictability of some Disney movies, the couple dancing like they were the only two in the world as the music carried on. He glanced over at Jenny and found she had shut her eyes as if she were reliving some distant memory or dreaming some fantastical waltz up in her head. He had always thought that no matter how tough she became and how much she looked away she would always have daydreams to keep her sane. He was starting to think he was right. Yet it didn't stop him from wondering what those daydreams contained. As the crescendo in the music winded down he could see her open her eyes in what he guessed was passing disappointment and then a flash of sadness as some other character cut in on the dancing couple. No doubt the ones they're 'supposed' to be with, he thought sadly. Sure it was a movie, but he'd have to be blind, deaf, and dumb not to notice the love between the couple that had been dancing. Just as the coupling changed, he caught Jenny's movement out of the corner of her. Her hand was suspiciously close to her face and then as if sensing his eyes on her she turned away and left heading out toward the hall. He glanced back at the movie momentarily to watch the sadness watch over the one character's face and knew he'd seen that look before. Paris. Well I didn't come all the way down here for a movie.

**_How could I face the faceless days  
If I should lose you now?_**

He went into the hallway and found her leaning against the wall just outside the door and he was almost positive the tiny little black mark was from her mascara running. He of course had no death wish and so wouldn't even mention it.

"I've been looking all over the building for you," he said idly.

"Oh?" She questioned. "I uh…" she looked like she was trying to think up a really good excuse for being down there, and he watched her internal struggle. "I was down here talking with Chelle. She was a little short-staffed and I didn't have any major work to do." He was looking at her confused or so she interpreted and so just pushed straight. "So what did you want?"

"What movie are they watching?" She raised an eyebrow at that question.

"Enchanted, it's a new Disney movie," She answered. "It's almost over."

"Did you not want to miss the end?" he knew that drove her nuts.

"Oh ah no, I mean its not like I don't know what's going to happen."

"You've already seen it?"  
"Jethro it's a Disney movie, they're very predictable."

"Really?" he questioned. "How so?"

"Incredibly fantastical endings that could never have happened in the real world," she replied.

"That was a bit of a cynical description of Disney, I think," he remarked teasingly.

"Well it's true," she huffed straightening, her Director façade falling expertly into place.

"Jen…" he paused not really sure, but feeling like he should somehow challenge it, but he knew he was looking at the Director and not Jen. Cynthia's voice calling for Jenny from down the hallway cut into his thoughts.

"Director, you're dress has arrived."

"Thank you Cynthia," Jenny answered.

"Dress?"

"Gala tonight, you're team is doing security, remember?" She said. He nodded. He remembered, he had been debating whether he was going to be on the floor or not and he had been looking for her to determine whether he should even go, it was after hosted by the FBI.

"Yea, yea I know. So who's your escort?" He questioned.

"For security purposes?" She clarified.

"Well yea, because if they're not someone you know they're not getting within fifty feet of you."

"Don't have an escort," she answered turning to follow Cynthia back toward the stairs. He caught her subtle glance toward the movie screen and the brief smile that flashed across her face. No escort huh…that can be arranged.

_**We're so close  
To reaching that famous happy end  
And almost believing this was not pretend  
Let's go on dreaming for we know we are  
So close**_

He was watching her, following her every step and tilt of her head. She hadn't dance a single dance and there had been offers. He knew she thought he had sent just his team and not come himself, which was sort of true, because he wanted her security to be taken care of, so he could plan. And planning he was, well it wasn't so much planning as trying to figure out if he could actually waltz. Which he knew he couldn't, so it was a problem if he was going to ask her to dance. Sadly he couldn't even fake it, and what was worse, she knew he couldn't dance, but what she didn't know was that he was a very quick study. So it might be rough, but he might be able to spin her around a few times. It was just as he gaining courage that he heard a familiar chime and the beginning of a soft melody. Perfect. Except when he'd looked around, his vision in burnt rose had vanished. He glanced around again and noticed Ziva standing just inside the room next to the balcony doors. Tony and McGee were on the other side of the room, so he figured Ziva had to be with Jenny and that Jenny was probably the only one she would let out of her sight for a minute if she felt her friend needed a break. He approached slowly and methodically swiping two glasses of bourbon on the way.

"Take a break Ziva," he said quietly. Ziva nodded seeming somewhat hesitant but deciding that it couldn't hurt. He watched her leave and stepped outside and swore he stepped into a fairytale. Jenny was leaning against the railing watching the stars, but he saw her tense slightly as his foot made contact with the stone. He placed the glass in front of her and she had the good notion to not look surprised.

"I didn't think you were here."

"Staying away from Fornell and the Director of the FBI," he replied. He was half listening and half listening to the music as it slowly approached the crescendo again.

"Good idea."

"I've had a few," he remarked his tone cautious and she turned to meet his eyes curious as to what he was hedging at. "You're feet hurt?"

"Not really no."

"So you wouldn't mind a dance?" He inquired and she raised an eyebrow.

"Are you asking me to dance Jethro?" She questioned half surprised, half amused.

"Well seeing as no one else has," he drifted off. "Wouldn't want you to be a…what's the word?"

"Wall flower?"

"Right wall flower."

"You never danced with me before."

"Opportunity never presented itself," he replied.

"Uh huh," she retorted.

"Okay, so I'm not as good at dancing as shooting targets."

"That's more like it, don't worry about it, dancing isn't everything."

"But you might have fun," he pointed out. He held out his hand for hers and he could see her internal struggle.

"Don't step on my feet," she warned taking his hand. He'd figured out the basic positions and just tried to remember what he'd picked up from the other room. He was rather impressed as he spun her around, so far so good. She was a good dance partner, following expertly as he slowly waltzed her around the patio. He tried to keep on pace with the music, slowing when it did and he could immediately feel her tense but she stayed till the very last note, when she pulled back slightly. "Thank you Jethro."

She turned on her heel and walked back into the ballroom, her shoulders squaring the moment she passed through the doorway. He glanced at the two glasses sitting on the railing, for some reason, he felt the same way he had when he realized she'd gotten off the plane.

_**So close  
And still so far**_


	3. Ever Ever After

**Title: Ever Ever After or Part 2 of So Close**

**Rating: K for Kisses!**

**Disclaimer: "Ever Ever After" belongs to Carrie Underwood and Disney, I don't own NCIS either.**

**Spoilers: "So Close" Song fic. **

**Summary: Ever ever after, If we just don't get it our own way…**

* * *

_**Storybook endings, fairy tales coming true  
Deep down inside we want to believe they still do  
And a secret is taught, it's our favorite part of the story  
Let's just admit we all want to make it too**_

_**Ever ever after  
If we just don't get it our own way  
Ever ever after  
It may only be a wish away**_

She wanted to scream. Or Shout. Or Bash her head into a wall. She couldn't quite decide. All she knew was once again she'd destroyed the best thing that had happened to her. Why? Well that was the question wasn't it? She didn't know why. She didn't understand what had forced her to leave his arms and flee. The song that came over the speakers made her freeze in her attempt to flee to the exit. She managed to hide herself away on the sidewall knowing Ziva was behind her somewhere. Her heart tugged at her as the song's upbeat tempo carried through the room, a definite change from the previous song and yet the words never rang more true. What she had just had, for those brief minutes was a fairy tale and if there was one thing Jennifer Shepard had learned it was that fairy tales did not come true, even if she wanted them to. She knew the pain in her heart was familiar for a reason. She had felt it grow exponentially stronger with each step she had taken off a certain plane in Paris. She did not like that feeling, but then like now, she knew she couldn't fix it. She was the Director of a Federal Agency; somehow she didn't think they had a Prince Charming in line for her. Or if they did, they'd have to stop her from doing something stupid, which she was seemed to good at.

_**Starting your fashion, wear your heart on your sleeve  
Sometimes you reach what's real just by making believe  
Unafraid, unashamed  
There is joy to be claimed in this world  
You even might wind up being glad to be you**_

_**Ever ever after  
Though the world will tell you it's not smart  
Ever ever after**_

It took him all of about thirty seconds, really the transitions of songs and the new lyrics to remind him that unlike the last time he had felt that feeling, he knew how to fix it. He knew where to find her this time. Tony and McGee she could slip easily, Ziva, not so much, and she would have told him if Jenny had left. So the fact of the matter was his _Cinderella? NO definitely not. Snow White? Nope, not even close. Well Jenny, that works. _So his Jenny to put it very simply was somewhere beyond those doors and really all he had to go was go and get her. _And tell her why she can't walk away, that's not a problem, right?_ A little voice taunted. And he knew it was a problem, because he wasn't the talkative type. He didn't like emotions they were…complicated. _Only as complicated as you make them_, the voice reminded and really he hadn't had the problem, the words were on the tip of his tongue when he had her in his arms so, solution, go get her. He knew that whatever happened it wasn't going to be easy, and probably not the best idea they ever had, but then again, when had any of this been easy? He took a deep breath and walked back through the doors.

_**The world can be yours if you let your heart  
Believe in ever afte**_r

She wasn't that far from the exit when she realized she couldn't do it. Okay so maybe she had been stronger eight years ago, maybe she hadn't know what she wanted, maybe she hadn't ever considered how miserable she would be, but now she knew. She knew what life could be like without him and she didn't like it, plain and simple. _So how do you fix it?_ Well that was the question of the hour, because she really wasn't the type to ask for a second chance, _or is it a third?_

_**No wonder your heart feels it's flying  
Your head feels it's spinning  
Each happy ending's a brand new beginning  
Let yourself be enchanted, you just might break through**_

So okay he was worried. He thought she would be easy to find in the dress, she was the best looking woman there, but that was just turning out to be a little bit more difficult then he'd expected. He was half tempted to ask DiNozzo and the others if they'd seen her when he felt the soft touch on his arm. He turned in the direction and found what he'd bee looking for.

"Dance with me?" She asked softly holding out her hand.

"To this?" He queried.

_**To ever ever after  
Forever could even start toda**y_

"To every song," she replied trying to put everything she felt into her eyes as they met his blue ones.

"I'm not a very good dancer," he responded taking her hand. She gave his hand a small tug in her direction.

"Neither am I."

_**Ever ever after  
Maybe it's just one wish away**_

"Don't walk away."

"Never ever again," she promised as they stepped out onto the patio away from the prying eyes. He took in her his arms and tried to figure out how to dance to this one. She wrapped her arms around his neck and his natural fell to her waist and they swayed slowly to music in their own heads.

_**Your ever ever after  
Ever ever ever after**_

She tilted her head up her emerald eyes meeting his blue ones. She stood on her tiptoes pressing a kiss to his mouth, soft and hesitant. She was just about to pull away when he tightened his hold on her and responded to the kiss deepening it.

_**I've been dreaming of a true love's kiss**_

The music drifted off around them but the melody floated around them continuously, their kisses soft and tender, knowing they couldn't progress until they were much farther away. Still the touch they'd each longed for was within reach and they were both afraid if they let go this time, it would disappear into fairy dust. So they kept their kiss going, and as kisses go, it definitely made the top five.

_**Oh, for ever ever after**_

* * *

**Author's Note: You guys didn't seriously think I wouldn't give you kisses, did you? The rest of the stories probably won't be connected but I couldn't just leave you all hanging with "So Close." I hope you all loved it. I promise from now it's going to be pure Disney Fluffiness which is probably more fluff than I can usually take, but hey, apparently I'm the Goddess of it now. The other song fic collection will be updated with fluff, but less than Disney Rated Fluff, more adult rated fluff, I guess you could say. **


	4. She's In Love

**Title: She's in Love**

**Rating: K**

**Disclaimer: "She's In Love" is from the Original Broadway Cast recording of The Little Mermaid, I don't own NCIS either, Anna is mine. Don't even think of taking her. **

**Spoilers: Oh nothing drastic darlings I'm sure.**

**Summary: Jenny's been acting a little strange; the team and friends try and figure it out.**

**Author's Note: Anna Corrine is an OC who will make her official debut in the Cup of Red Threads, for now just accept the fact that she's an old friend of Jenny's and occasionally shows up at NCIS.**

* * *

"I'm talking about the Director, that's who," Abby announced trying to stay quiet.

"What about her?" Ziva inquired glancing at the younger woman.

"She sure is acting…different," Abby explained.

"I'll say," Cynthia agreed leaning against the wall of the hallway. "She's up to something."

"When isn't she up to something?" Anna commented twirling her red hair around her finger. "But I agree this is different."

_**She's dizzy and she's dreamy**_

_**Her head's up in the foam**_  
**_Her eyes have gone all gleamy  
It's like there's no one home_**

"It's a new thing, whatever it is," Cynthia said. "Though she was a little dazed the other day when I went in to remind her of her meeting."

"She's in a daze, I asked her yesterday if she wanted to go out for drinks and she said she was too tired," Ziva informed.

"That's not like her at all," Anna said. "She's usually betting me she can get more numbers before the end of the night."

**_She floats away the days  
Mopin' on the coastal shelf  
You ask her where she's goin'  
She giggles like a fool  
She barely sticks a toe in  
Down at the tidal pool_**

"She laughs now," Cynthia mentioned. "I heard her laughing on the phone and she hasn't even been bothered that Gibbs just storms in."

"That is strange," Abby said. "She's usually ready to read him the riot act if he bugs her to much."

"She didn't even yell at him when he pissed off the reporter the other day," Ziva reminded the others. They nodded and Anna smirked slightly.

"Funny how she didn't yell at him, but I got a whole earful on it."

"She yelled at you?" Ziva gasped.

"Loudly."

"This has been going on for two weeks, that rules out the usual theories," Cynthia remarked.

"She's just not herself," Abby sighed. "Is she sick maybe?"

"Or insane," Anna added.

"Something on her mind?" Cynthia suggested.  
"The bends?"

"The trends," Abby corrected Ziva. "Or the flu. It has been going around."

"I wish we knew," Cynthia sighed as they watched Jenny come down stairs. Anna watched closely as Jenny glanced toward certain desk in the squad room and watched the smile fade away from her friend's face.

"Oh wait," Anna griped nudging Ziva. Ziva glanced over.

"Oh dear." Cynthia and Abby looked up.

"Good grief," Anna sighed angrily. "Not again."

_**I****t's clear...  
She's in love!  
She's in love!  
Pounding heart! Ringing bells!**_

"She's wearing new earrings," Cynthia pointed out.

"She's in love," Anna snapped. "Damnit."

**_In love and it's divine!  
She's in love!  
That girl's on sandbar nine!  
Glory be!  
Lord above!  
Gotta be she's in love!_**

"That's sweet," Abby sighed. "With whom?"

"You can't guess?" Anna challenged. Abby looked momentarily bewildered, but it cleared as Ducky walked by with Tony and McGee trailing.

"Ladies, have you seen Jethro?"

"Not today," Ziva answered.

"I better not," Anna muttered.

"Who ruffled your feathers?" Tony questioned.

"Ducky have you noticed anything strange about…" Cynthia drifted off glancing in the direction the red head was currently walking in.

"Ah our lovely Director," Ducky concluded. "Now that you mention she has seemed slightly out of sorts."

"She ignored us the other day when we were standing by Gibbs," McGee said.

"Matter of fact when was the last time she tried to take over an investigation?" Tony questioned. It was no secret that he thoroughly enjoyed the days the Director and the Boss got into it. Bets were just that much better.

_**She acts like she don't see me  
She doesn't even speak  
She treats me like sashimi  
Left over from last week  
You see her late at night  
Tossin' in her ocean bed**_

"She hasn't been sleeping well," Ducky noticed. "Though she doesn't appear ill, has she complained of any aliments?" Ducky addressed the question to Anna and Cynthia.

"Not to me," Cynthia answered. "And if she's sick, she would have shortened her day, but now she rarely does that."

"She left around the same time Gibbs did the other night," McGee reminded.

"Oh yea…well maybe…" Tony decided he do the impossible and marched off toward the stairs looking for the Director.

**_She's moody as a snapper  
Oblivious as rocks  
You swim right up and tap her—She lays there like a lox!  
As sure as dogfish bite  
Somethin's made her lose her head!_**

"Director!" Tony called from the landing. Jenny didn't immediately respond until Ziva called to her.

"Officer David, where is Agent Gibbs?"  
"I haven't seen him, coffee refill maybe?"

"When he decides to put in an appearance I want to see him in my office," Jenny snapped, her office door slamming.

"Ouch," Abby remarked.

"Moody…maybe its…"

"You finish that sentence you'll be on the ground," Anna threatened. She had no doubt that DiNozzo was going to put his foot in his mouth again.

**_And she sighs, and she swoons  
And she's hummin' little tunes_**

**_Even has a sorta glow_**

"She was humming something, or was I hearing things?" Ducky said.

"No, she defiantly was humming, and sighing," McGee agreed. Anna and Ziva rolled their eyes.

"Sighing and women is never a good thing."

"I think she looks rather happy," Abby hinted. "Don't you think Timmy?"

"What could it be?" DiNozzo sighed loudly.

"Any idiot can see," Anna replied.

"Hey!" Tony protested.

"Oh," McGee exclaimed. "Wait…"

"I think you should tell me Probie."

"That sigh!" Cynthia hinted.

"That glow!" Abby added.

_**That swoon!Oh, no!  
She's in love!**_

"You ladies think it is the heart," Ducky reasoned.

_**She's flipped, it never fails! **_

_**She's in love!**_

_**All hot beneath her scales!**_

_**See her hips  
How they swish!**_

"It never fails," Anna mumbled.

"Don't you wonder who it is?" Cynthia questioned excitedly.

"I could give a few guesses," Anna muttered almost silently.

"Like maybe…" WHACK. "Hi Boss."

"What are you all doing?" Gibbs demanded.

"Uh…I was just getting Ziva for the thing, and she was getting Abby for the tests

and…" Tony rambled.

"And the Director wants to see you," Ziva said. Gibbs looked up the catwalk momentarily and it didn't take a blind man to see the faint smirk that crossed his face. _Guess I was right,_ Anna sighed irritated. The team stood watching him as he moved up the stairs taking them two at a time till he reached the top.

"Back to work!" He shouted and the team scatted.

"Hook, line, sinker," Anna whispered to Ziva.

**_Crushed out!  
Switched on!  
Worked up!  
Far gone!  
Knocked down!_**

**_Hard hit!_**

**_In deep!_**

**_That's it!  
She's in love!_**

"So, who's the lucky guy Cynthia?" Tony inquired.

"I haven't got a clue," the young woman lied glancing at Anna and Ziva. Abby laughed.

"Anthony I think this can wait till later," Ducky warned.

"Come on, I'll bet you it's a senator."  
"Not her style," Anna assured.

"I'm thinking someone close by," McGee guessed.

"Closer than you think," Abby giggled.

"Maybe she's just sick," Tony said. "I mean a guy, the Director…"

**_Plain to see!  
No mistake!  
Look at those moonbeams in her wake!  
Obvious what they must be symptoms of—_**

"Tony you'd have to be blind not to see this," Ziva teased.

"She's in love," Anna assured.

"Who's in love?" Gibbs demanded. "And it better not be you Anna."

"Hardly," she replied glancing up at the catwalk again, but in her path she noticed something decidedly out of place. Gibbs' cheek had a faint discoloration; she nudged Ziva who whispered something to Ducky.

"Going for coffee," Gibbs announced grabbing his coat. The team watched him leave.

"Cynthia!" Jenny called from the railing.

"Yes Director," the younger woman responded instantly heading to move upstairs.

"You can go home now, I'm taking an early night," Jenny informed.

"Thank you Director," Cynthia replied happily watching Jenny leave with her coat and briefcase. Cynthia glanced at her watch. "That's odd, it's only five."  
"DiNozzo!" Gibbs voice surprised them.

"Yes Boss?"  
"Take the night. It's slow, no use tempting fate," Gibbs ordered. The team nodded and watched Gibbs leave again.

"Should we have mentioned he had lipstick on his cheek?" Abby inquired. McGee and Tony looked up shocked.

"No," Ziva answered. "Might as well enjoy the night."

"She's in love, how romantic," Anna sarcastically remarked.

"Oh come now Anna," Ducky chastised. The team headed for the elevator, Tony and McGee catching up.

"I can't believe she did it again."

"Did what…wait, the Director and…Gibbs?" Tony asked.

"Where have you been Tony?" McGee questioned. "That's what we've been talking about."

"She's in love with Gibbs?"

"Please don't continue to remind me," Anna sighed.

"But..."

"Tony!" Ziva snapped.

"Well okay, she's in love." A grin spread across his face and the rest o the team knew they were going to have to smoother him, if Gibbs overheard this comment. "At least Gibbs will be in a good mood."

_**She's in love!**_

* * *

_**Author's Note: Don't ask.The song wouldn't leave me alone. **_


	5. That's How You Know

**Title: That's How You Know**

**Rating: K**

**Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS, "That's How You Know" From Disney's Enchanted. Anna is mine.**

**Spoilers: Nothing really**

**Summary: Some singing and dancing in the park during a dog hunt, gives Gibbs some ideas.**

**Author's Note: You should read listen to the song while you're reading, youtube "That's How You Know" Enchanted. It's there. trust me. **

* * *

He really couldn't believe they were out there, or specifically the reason they were out there. He and his team had been combing Veteran's Park since eight this morning, searching for what? A killer? Nope. A rapist? Nope. Missing Sailor? Nope. What was NCIS finest looking for? A dog. 

Specifically SecNav's eight-year-old daughter's Labrador puppy who had bounded off in search of a ball and disappeared. The only thing saving Gibbs' sanity at this point was the faint red hair that was pulled back on the head of the Director of NCIS who had been roped into looking for the dog because she had a meeting with the owner's father. Jenny looked even less pleased wandering around in the low heels and suit pants, the saving grace being it was getting somewhat warmer out and had been sunny. He was looking for the rest of his team who had somehow managed to congregate near the river and he was hoping they had found the dog. Gibbs wandered over, not letting Jenny out of his sight, but found that DiNozzo was attracted to the young college looking student sitting in the grass.

_How does she know you love her?  
How does she know she's yours?_

"That sounded like crap," the girl sighed. Gibbs admittedly thought she had a pretty voice, but he was more concerned with DiNozzo getting his act together but the rhythm of a drum and a calypso beat.

_How does she know that you love her? _

The man's voice was an excellent off beat to the girl's and the young girl looked up at the Calypso players who had come over to listen to her. She paused a minute and continued.

_How do you show her you love her?_

"Love song, eck," Tony sighed dramatically, earning himself a head slap.

"Don't be rude DiNozzo." He missed the girl's surprised glance but heard her pipe up with the man in chorus.

_How does she know that you really, really, truly love her?  
How does she know that you love her?  
How do you show her you love her?  
How does she know that you really, really, truly love her?_

Gibbs actually liked the beat but he really didn't have time, and as Jenny came down beside him he could see he wasn't the only one getting fed up.

"You find the dog?" She asked.

"DiNozzo found a girl." Jenny looked over the blonde and then listened to the words carefully.

_It's not enough to take the one you love for granted  
You must remind her, or she'll be inclined to say..._

_"How do I know he loves me?"  
(How does she know that you love her?  
How do you show her you love her?)  
"How do I know he's mine?"  
(How does she know that you really, really, truly love her?)_

"She has a talented voice," Jenny commented to Gibbs as he turned to leave.

"Yea great," Gibbs agreed before wandering in the opposite direction, Jenny was about to head off in her own direction when the college girl managed to block her path.

_Well does he leave a little note to tell you, you are on his mind?  
Send you yellow flowers when the sky is grey? Hey!  
He'll find a new way to show you, a little bit everyday  
That's how you know, that's how you know!  
He's your love..._

Gibbs similarly found his path blocked by the movement of the steely band and began to walk around them, half listening, half looking for the damn dog. The man's voice was a perfect compliment to the girl's and he smiled half amused. _Sounds like something Disney would write. _

_You've got to show her you need her  
Don't treat her like a mind reader  
Each day do something to need her  
To believe you love her_

He glanced back over his shoulder and saw Jenny smiling sweetly at the SecNav's daughter who was thoroughly entranced with the singing college student. It appeared Jenny and she had become companions while she had the rest of NCIS in a frenzy searching for her dog. Gibbs made the executive decision that if Jen got off dog hunting he could too;_DiNozzo should be able to handle it_, he thought amused. It wasn't cats and the whole way over Tony had bragged about how much of a dog person he was. Ziva and McGee had laughed silently. Gibbs glanced around making sure his team was still within eyesight and found Ziva talking to another red head. _Great, trouble, with a capital T._ The other redhead was of course Anna Corrine, a lovely friend to both Jenny and Gibbs, one Gibbs would rather not see and Jenny loved to pieces. Gibbs decided to that if he stuck with Jenny, Anna would know to stay away and would no be able to ask if she could stay at Jenny's house tonight.

"Anna's here," he said when he reached Jenny's side.

"So I saw, well I guess we should keep looking," she sighed wandering off, Gibbs didn't really have much of a choice but to follow her as people were flocking in a group to see the singers.

_Everybody wants to live happily ever after  
Everybody wants to know their true love is true...  
How do you know he loves you?  
(How does she know that you love her?  
How do you show her you need her?)  
How do you know he's yours?  
(How does she know that you really, really, truly-)_

The two were pushed together as the crowd became thicker and moved in the opposite direction. Gibbs placed his hand on Jenny's back to guide her through it ignoring the tell-tingle he still got from touching her. Yes, their second shot at a relationship was still new, but that tingle never left and they'd been trying to act as normal as possible and not let anyone in on their secret.

_Well does he take you out dancin' just so he can hold you close?  
Dedicate a song with words in  
Just for you? Ohhh!_

From on top of the hill Ziva watched with mild amusement as Gibbs and Jenny were forced closer to each other sides. If she didn't know better she would swear the people were doing it on purpose but she did know better, or so she thought. When Anna stepped beside her, clearly trying to withhold her laughter, Ziva was a little suspicious.

"NCIS goes dog hunting," Anna remarked. "Next it will be poor kitties in trees."

"You could look for the dog as well," Ziva reminded.

"I'm actually working," Anna said.

"Oh?"

"Yea, trying to see if the kid can blend in," Anna informed. Ziva immediately glanced around but the only thing she kept coming back to was the blonde college girl, all the other people's actions were reflections of hers.

"The singer?"

"Yep."

"But…"

"Convincing isn't it? Young girl singing about love, getting local help…" Anna trailed off. Ziva glanced around. It was the girl who had moved from her blanket following Jenny and Gibbs and as the words carried up over the hill Ziva smirked.

_He'll find his own way to tell you  
With the little things he'll do  
That's how you know  
That's how you know!_

"You set her up."

"What can I say the kid was desperate to pass, so she did me a favor," Anna replied. Ziva watched as Jenny and Gibbs were not given a moment to separate and forced to listen to the song, which admittedly had a very catchy little beat.

"I think I'll remember the lyrics," Ziva said innocently. Anna laughed and watched as Tony tried to find a way into the crowd, trying to get out of looking for the dog. "I better get back to work, enjoy the view. Anything I could do…"

"Dog's over by the river, maybe they should go for a boat ride," Anna hinted. Ziva walked down from the hill, pulling her phone out to call Jenny.

"Shepard!" Came the shouted voice.

"Director I spotted the dog on the other side, at the small island, we'll need a boat."

"Ziva I can't hear a word you're saying!"

"BOAT. RIVER." Ziva shouted into the phone and heard Jenny repeating it to Gibbs. Ziva watched as Gibbs and Jenny managed to find a small rowboat that would be big enough to contain the wet animal, and they got in, the little girl being held back by the SecNav's security detail. The singer however glanced toward the hill and found her watcher giving her the okay signal. She leaned out over the small dock area and followed the couple to_ the boat as they pulled toward the island._

_Because he'll wear your favorite color  
Just so he can match your eyes  
Rent a private picnic  
By the fires glow-oohh!_

"You would think it's a movie or something," Jenny said as they managed to get to the other side where the dog was stretched out in the sun.

"Or something," Gibbs answered as he glanced back at the other side. "What's the dog's name again?"

"Rex, after T-Rex, Come on Rex, heel!" The dog bounded to her putting his dirty paws right on her pant leg. "Great." She chose a few more expletives to throw in there and Gibbs smirked. They got back to the other side, reuniting the girl and her pet. Gibbs helped Jenny from the boat, keeping his hand on her back, leading her back through the crowd. The SecNav for some strange reason decided to cancel his meeting, so Jenny was free to leave. They were heading back toward the cars when Jenny heard the little girl behind her.

"Miss Jenny! Rex wants to give you a thank you!" The girl said sweetly. Jenny knelt and Rex licked her cheek.

"Eck," she mumbled, but for some reason it didn't stop her from smiling sweetly. The girl went back toward her father to listen to the singing student. Gibbs helped her to her feet, trying not to let his jealousy of a dog show throw. If he didn't know better he'd swear Jenny liked the dog better than him right then and there. Sure he'd been a little distant lately, they'd been busy, but she knew he loved her. In the car Ziva, McGee and Tony squeezed into the back, Ziva began humming and soon McGee and Tony picked it up.

"Three of you shut it, or I'll slap you upside the head."

"Ah c'mon Boss, it's a catchy little beat," Tony protested. "How do you know…"

"How do you show her…" McGee joined in.

"That's how you know…" Ziva finished.

"ZIVA!" Jenny snapped and the younger woman shut up. "Shall we start singing Do-Rei-Me?" Jenny questioned and Ziva made a sick look on her face.

"Please no!"

"Then shut it." Ziva grumbled but sat back in the seat and simply hummed along as Tony and McGee also just hummed. They reached head quarters and as Tony, McGee and Ziva were walking to their desks, Gibbs slapped them all upside the head.

"No more singing," he warned.

"GIBBS!" Abby's loud voice caught everyone attention as the Goth bounded towards the group. "I just heard the greatest song on a TV!"  
"No more music, Abby," Jenny protested.

"But Director it was so catchy," she began to hum and soon found Tony, Ziva, and McGee were humming along. "Hey you guys know it too!"

"We heard it in the park," Gibbs answered. "Back to work all of you!" Jenny continued on her way up the stairs but his ears were still good enough to pick up her humming it. He went over to his desk, pulling out earphones, plugging them into the computer and searching for the song. He listened to the lyrics again and hazarded a glance toward the catwalk, _it wouldn't hurt to try and be a little romantic,_he thought amused. He knew Jenny would seriously think he'd hit his head, but maybe it wouldn't be so bad, maybe deep down even though he knew she didn't need flowers or chocolates, she still wanted them? So he had a new resolve and he would act on it right away.

* * *

Jenny opened the door to her house carefully, trying not to drop her computer or her briefcase or the extra files that didn't fit in her brief case. She had thought about going to Gibbs' house, but he hadn't been at the office when she'd left so she'd assumed he and his team had gotten a case and she'd be better off going home to sleep in hopefully a bed. _Most likely my chair though_, she sighed as she managed to place the extra files on the table. The lights were on in the main hall and she assumed Neomi had left them on for her. Until her nose picked up a very peculiar scent, wood burning. _Shit!_ She immediately dumped her bags and moved quickly toward the kitchen, glancing for the source but found nothing. _Perhaps the study. _She retraced her steps to her study door ready to fight the fire, literally, but froze in place. 

There was a fleece blanket spread out on the floor, with lots of pillows. Two wine glasses, and a basket with plates and bread rolls sticking out of it. She tried to figure out where it could have possible come from when she felt him overwhelmingly behind her. She glanced over her shoulder to meet his suspcisouly-guarded eyes. It was almost as if he was nervous and she had to smile at that. _Gibbs nervous, there's a new one._

"Hi," she greeted.

"Hi, I though you might want dinner," he said just as softly. He reached down her leg and pulled her foot up pulling off first one pump and then switching to the other, leaving her in her bare stocking feet.

"Dinner sounds nice, I thought you were working tonight."

"Nope," he replied. "My boss let me have the night off," he joked.

"Oh really?" She teased back as he led her over to the fireside where she found a yellow sunflower sitting beside the basket with a little note around the stem. He helped her sit down and sat himself down next to her, leaning back on the pillows. She picked up the flower and read the note attached feeling a smile spread across her face.

I love you.

Jethro took that as a good thing and started taking out the plates and the food, she lay the flower down beside them as she watched the course develop in front of her. It was her favorite steak with extra asparagus just the way she liked it. He poured her a glass of red wine to go with it and she waited patiently till he finished setting up.

"Steak on a picnic, that's a new one," she remarked.

"Well I thought you might want something normal for dinner," he defended and she nodded sweetly. It really was quite possibly one of the most romantic things he'd ever done for her, and he had taken her up the Eiffel Tower on her birthday. When they were finished he placed the stuff back in the basket and looked over her. She leaned toward him and kissed him softly.

"Thank you."

"Anytime," he replied. "But we're not done."

"Jethro I don't think I could eat anything else."

"Nah, I though we could go dancing or something," he suggested.

"Dancing?" She echoed. Now she was worried, Gibbs doing something romantic once was a big deal, twice in one evening was just disturbing and that worried her. "Jethro…"

"C'mon Jen," he stood up giving her hand to her feet as well. She grabbed a remote from the side and pressed play on the radio.

"We don't have to go out to go dancing Jethro," she reminded, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"But we could…"

"Or we could stay in…" She rested her head against his shoulder. Her head picked up as she glanced at the radio, a familiar song coming to play. "You don't have to take me out to dance with me."

"But…" She tilted her head up and captured his lips effectively silencing him.

"I love you," she whispered in his ear, and felt the tightening of his arms around her as he pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"I love you, Jen." They decided after that a different type of dancing was in order and made their way upstairs, only checking to make sure the physical fire was out before they encouraged another fire to burn.

* * *

Across town, Anna Corrine knocked on a familiar door and found it open to an old friend. 

"Anna?"

"Ziva, I was wondering if I could crash on your couch."  
"Is Jenny…"  
"She's not answering," Anna said showing her phone to her friend.

"Oh, well then, of course. Mi casa es su casa."

"Gracias."

"Looks like your pupil passed her test, thank her for me, Gibbs has been in a mood all week."

"Not a problem," Anna dialed a number and waited for the young tired voice to pick up.

"Ms Anna?"

"Congratulations Christen, you passed." She hung up and joined Ziva in the living room for a beer and a good laugh at their expert plotting. Who would have though a Labrador would be so distracted by a fake duck? And who would ever consider the Director of NCIS would show up with her Senior Agents as security for the moved conference just in time to help with the looking for the dog? No, Anna was not that calculating, she just had expert luck. And the fact that she knew her two friends needed a little encouragement.


	6. The Daning Princess or One Step Closer

**Title: The Dancing Princess**

**Rating: K+ **

**Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS or The Twelve Dancing Princess, The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, The Little Mermaid Broadway Musical, specifically "One Step Closer," and any other things I mentioned. **

**Spoilers: Nothing really.**

**Summary: Dancing is a language that is felt instead of heard, You can whisper, sing or shout without so much as a word...**

**Author's Note: In my world, Jenny's hair grew back a lot faster than it did in the show, oh and pretend this takes place right before Sandblast. I'm not particularly fond of this story, but it wouldn't leave me alone.**

_For V. It's part of a present, that will have much more to come. _

**

* * *

  
**

Gibbs was at the end of his rope. The case had gotten to him, his team had gotten to him, and her high and mightiness the Director had gotten to him. He could put up with a lot but his former partner's all knowing looks and glances put him over the edge. It was one thing for her to use her knowledge to help and assist which she had done, it was quite another when she tried to get him to go home because she knew better than anyone that the case was getting to him. He figured he should be used to it by now she'd been around for about a year, found out his deep dark secret when he had the misfortune to fall into a coma again and had taken him back after he got his life back together. Still it irked him no end that now she could really read him and before when she was just guessing what his skeleton was, she knew and she wouldn't dare attempt to take the pain away but she'd do everything she could to protect him from himself.

So it shouldn't have shocked him that after a case that brought up to many memories with a killer who pushed to many buttons that they would end up in record breaking fight. It was like one plus one, inevitable. He wouldn't apologize of course and neither would she, but he knew he had to do something because their latest fight had ended in mud slinging and he'd won because he dredged up her weakness and used them against. She'd refrained from similar treatment.

He sat back in his car parked on the street just under her window. He really hoped she was asleep and that way he would just have to put this off till tomorrow. After about ten minutes of weighing the pros and cons he dragged himself out of the car and up the steps to her front door. His gut wouldn't let him leave, something was nagging it and he knew it would only be settled when he saw her. He knocked on the door and heard a crash.

"Jen?" He called worried. No answer. He searched his pocket. _Where is it, damnit?_ He'd swiped her spare key when she'd come back terrified that if he didn't have it someone else would. He entered the house to find the hall light on and the study light. "Jenny, you okay?" He walked slowly into the study his hand on his gun just in case. "Jen don't shoot."

He found her lying next to her desk, to him it seemed like she'd fallen, which wasn't a good thing to begin with. He felt for her pulse, steady and slow with sleep, her breathing normal. The glass tumbler rest beside her, having had a cushioned landing. There was no stain on the carpet, and he figured she was getting a refill, though judging by her breath she didn't need one. Gibbs carefully scooped her in his arms and carried her to the divan against the wall in her study. Judging by the blankets he guessed she used it as a bed more then her own bed. He pulled the blankets over her and she didn't stir at all. At that point he had two options, stay and pray her hangover convinces her not to shoot or leave, or try to face her tomorrow. _Well, I've dealt with her hangover before_,_ I can do it again._ He glanced around the room after locking up the house and found her CD player had stopped. It had played through the tracks. _Maybe that's what she was getting up to fix_. He checked the CD player and popped out Tchaikovsky Ballet,_ Ballet huh? Doesn't strike me as Jen's type._ He hit play and turned the volume down smiling as the faint strings of the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies filled the room. He settled down in the large arm chair and dreamt of tiny ballerinas.

* * *

When Jenny Shepard opened her eyes there were two things very wrong with the picture. The first, she was tucked in, i.e. Someone had put her in bed. The second, Leroy Jethro Gibbs was sitting across from her, sound asleep. She wasn't quite sure if that was what was wrong or the fact they were both clothed as she didn't remember a large portion of the night before. She certainly didn't remember letting him in, and given what she could remember of the day before she wasn't sure she would have let him in unless she was really drunk. She reached behind her carefully and found a throw pillow. _There called throw pillows for a reason_, she rationalized as she chucked it at his head. _Score one for Jenny!_

"Jen!" He gasped almost falling off the chair. She would've laughed if her head didn't kill as much. "Uh I can explain."

"Yea that'd be nice," she replied.

"I...was in the neighborhood, going for a drive and I thought I'd just check on you, heard a crash, but your alarms were all fine so I let myself in with the spare key and you were on the ground next to your desk. I wasn't sure what had happened, but nothing looks disturbed."

"You were in the neighborhood?" He nodded. "Rule 8, be convincing when you lie." He said nothing. "But I was passed out?"

"You...hit your head."

"More like I had to much to drink on an empty stomach, but thank you ever so much for sugar coating."

"I didn't have to stay."

"So why are you here exactly?"

"I was just leaving."

"Good." He stood up grabbed his coat and turned to leave.

"Next time lay off the bourbon," he warned.

"Oh bite me," she snapped back. "Or better yet take some of your own damn advice."

"You never were a morning person."

"Out Jethro! Before I sic Ziva on you," she ordered. He nodded not wanting to try her patience anymore. He turned to leave as she sat up.

"Nice choice of music," he said before he left out the front door.

She waited for the door to close before moving again and going upstairs to her room to change. She heard his car speed off, no doubt going home before work. She threw on a new suit and grabbed her purse and keys. Now that her head was starting to clear she could appreciate what Gibbs had done for her, and the fact that he'd come over. No doubt to talk about their fight. Whether it was for a rematch or an almost apology she didn't care, the fact was he had tried and she was too drunk to accept. True she was drunk because he had ripped open her wounds but she should have known better. She drove her car to his house and opened the always unlocked front door. She had removed her heels to avoid premature detection. Sure she knew she wanted to talk to him but she wanted a few minutes before she actually had to talk. She slowly approached the staircase to the basement and heard the young girl voice she had long since discovered belonged to his Kelly.

During his margarita safari she'd looked after his house, tried to keep things somewhat clean. She'd found the tapes accidentally and would never own up to listening to them but she had. Part of it had been jealousy, she'd wanted to know what this Shannon woman was like, and part of it had just been curiosity into the man that she would not admit to loving. By the end of her own investigation her curiosity had been eased and her jealousy gone, at least so far as the ex-wives and her. Any other woman she wouldn't be too sure about. She glanced down in the basement and found him sitting at his workbench with a photo in front of him. She'd seen that one, according to the photo album it had been one of the dance recitals Gibbs had made it too. She waited a few minutes after the tape was over before reappearing in the doorway to the basement and trying the stairs.

"Jethro."

"I haven't even been to work yet, what's the house call for Director?"

"Not related to work, thank you for staying last night," she said gently. "I'm sorry I wasn't very good company."

"Never apologize."

"I know, I know," she kept her tone level. "Thank you." She turned again to leave. She knew the peace wouldn't last but she could hope.

* * *

That night he knew he need to let out some steam and quickly. The firing range was out of the question and the boat hadn't helped either. Jenny had walked on egg shells around him and for some reason it pissed him off more. He knew she could put up a better fight. Knew she wasn't doing it because she knew it was what he wanted. His team had been angels jumping at every little command and otherwise staying out of the line of fire. It just wasn't enough. So he'd waited until everyone had left and then gone down to the gym, he and the punching bag had a date.

His plan however was destroyed before he'd even entered the gym. There was music floating outside the cracked door, classical music. Gibbs guessed it was from Swan Lake, but he wasn't positive. It was a curious anomaly because he'd been positive everyone was gone. He entered the men's changing room still listening to the music and hearing the little thud of shoes against the floor. The changing room had an alcove where he could see the gym without attracting attention to himself. What he saw however defied his imagination. There was Jenny, his Jenny, on her very tip toes, dancing. She waltzed one direction, leaped another, and performed pirouettes that left him dizzy. He'd considered himself well versed in all things Jenny Shepard but this was new. Sure she was a good dance partner the few times they'd gone out dancing and to events, but he had always assumed that to her being a quick learner, not experience. He was almost disappointed that she had on yoga pants and a tank top, he wouldn't have minded watching her bare leg extend. His thoughts were halted as the ballet music suddenly stopped and he looked up worried he'd been detected.

If he had been she didn't show any signs of it. She was simply changing music and when she moved away from the player an Irish beat filled the air and her pacing changed. _I take it back, she can pace herself after all_. The steps she performed were different, almost like tap, except not. He guessed it was Irish Step Dancing, something Kelly had wanted to learn. He froze at that memory, Shannon had never been much of a dancer, more of the horseback riding type, but Kelly had wanted to do both and he'd encouraged the dancing. He wondered sometimes what might have happened if Kelly hadn't been in the car, or if she'd survived. Would he have found another mother? Would he have met Jen? Would Jen have stayed? They were questions he couldn't find the answers to, no matter how hard he searched but watching her right this minute, he thought she might have. His thoughts however had distracted him and Jenny had stopped for the night. She was carefully removing her shoes, rubbing her toes which were an angry red before slipping them back in the torture of her heels and standing up. She winced and he wondered if her dancing had ended because of an injury. He watched as she gathered her things and headed off for the women's changing area.

Gibbs sat down on the bench inside the changing room and tried to figure out what to do. Jenny's dancing had reminded him more of the woman he'd once known and it only further drove home the point that he wanted that back, wanted her back. He'd never attempted a second chance, they seemed unlikely given his experience but Jenny was still there. He put his life on the line every day with very little trouble, maybe it was time to put his heart on the line as well. _Has to be the corniest thing I've ever thought_,he decided. _Besides, she made her choice._ The question always remained though if she'd ever thought about the best of both worlds. He waited another ten minutes making sure she didn't go back before getting up and stretching. Her dancing had inspired something in him that he wanted to get back. Instead of turning toward the punching bag, he resorted to something he hadn't done since his mother had been alive. Dancing. _The big bad wolf can dance_, he teased himself, _thank god Abby's not here or DiNozzo. _

It was something he kept on the very low down low. Not even Shannon had known about his ballet lessons when he was younger. His mother had been a dance instructor and he wouldn't lie, Mikhail Baryshnikov had been some what of a hero of his as a boy. It had ended by the time he reached ten, his mother having passed away just a few years later, but still, the skills hadn't left. It had been part of the reason he'd let Kelly learn to dance, it was a part of her family, although Shannon had always wondered where she got it from. He smirked as the music started and then let his feet decide where to go, it was almost as good as sanding his boat.

* * *

Jenny scurried along the corridor to Abby's lab, trying to avoid the cameras there. She found the computer Abby had left on and worked some well learned magic. Abby had been the one to teach her how to switch the security feeds after she discovered Abby in a rather compromising position. She laughed quietly as she remembered McGee's rather red face and Abby's hysteria that Gibbs was going to kill them. To this day, Gibbs didn't know and that was a year ago, although he did wonder what caused the ice to thaw between her and his favorite. She quickly brought up the program she had been wondering and out of habit checked both feeds before switching. Her fingers, however, were stopped. The feed she was seeing from the gym was deemed impossible to her eyes and yet there it was, gray as a rainy day. _Jethro...dances?_ Her mind quickly wrote it off as the delusion resulting from not enough sleep, but some where inside her she knew she was glimpsing part of the man that no one ever saw. She sat quietly on the stool watching the screen before deciding that she just had to see this in real life. She removed her heels and bolted down the hall, wincing as her feet were further abused.

Jenny slid into the darkened alcove and watched silently as he turned across the floor. He was good. This was clearly not some flight of fancy, he'd been taught. She tried to run through every conversation they'd ever had and came up empty. Dancing had never come up, he knew she liked ballet but not that she did it, he had seemed to not enjoy the ballet as much as she did but she figured that was a typical guy response. After the coma she suspected that perhaps it reminded him of Kelly, and perhaps to a certain degree it did, but there was someone else in his life who had been a dancer and had taken the time to make sure he learned as well. The only person she could come up with was his mother, who she knew nothing about other than she'd died when he was young.

This was fascinating though and she really didn't want to look away, but knew every second she watched she was a second closer to detection. He always knew when she was around and he'd pick up on it eventually. She knew she would have to look properly guilty and that it would probably turn into another fight. She paused at that. She didn't want to take this away from him, she could watch from the security feed if she had to, it was no reason to start yet another battle. _Now to figure out how to record that._

* * *

Gibbs had breathed a sigh of relief that night when he'd left and realized Jen was still in the building. He figured if she had seen him she would have said something when they ran into each other on the lift. She didn't seemed surprised but then again she knew him, and he liked to work late. It had been a strained causal conversation because all he could think about was her dancing and asking her to dance again. Thankfully she had bid him goodnight and got into her car and left. He did the same. It was all fine and good, he'd even snuck back in and watched her a few more times since then. Their fighting had stopped since he'd started becoming her audience and so he decided if she really wanted to know she would ask why he wasn't giving her a hard time.

The truce was working just fine until the newest case arrived. The guy who his team was sure did it had an alibi, a shaky one but an alibi none the less whereas the guy Gibbs was sure was innocent had none, at least none that he was willing to share. It drove Gibbs nuts to see a kid that young in the marine corp not wanting to betray the code or scared about being judge. So there he was in interrogation with the young gunnery sergeant who was edging around the alibi question. His team and Jenny were in the observation room, Jenny fuming since he wouldn't give her a chance to question him.

"Gunny you're in a world of trouble," Gibbs started.

"I didn't do it Sir."

"I'd like to believe you, but you haven't offered up you whereabout for the evening, so get to it."

"I can't sir."

"Can't or won't"

"Can't sir, I'm a Marine Sir."

"You're going to be out of the Marine Corp when this goes to court marshal."

"With all due respect Sir, I'll have to live with that."

"Tell me Gunny, where were you?"

"No where Sir."

"I don't believe that, what was it the Colonel's daughter? A hooker?"

"No Sir, nothing like that."

"Then what Gunny?" Gibbs demanded.

"I was...was at the ballet Sir."

"And can anyone confirm that?"

"Yes Sir."

"Who?"

"I'd rather not say."

"Gunny!"

"Her name is Suzanne Farrell." He heard a tap on the window and glanced at it with a glare. Carefully he got up and went to the observation room.

"Who did it?" he demanded. Tony pointed at Jenny.

"Suzanne Farrell is a personal friend, the only way she knew he was at the ballet was if he was in it," Jenny informed. "Explains the beating to the feet, it was a case of mistaken identity."

"You sure about this?"

"I can have her on the phone in two minutes." Gibbs grabbed her wrist and pulled her out of observation back into interrogation with him, his team watching with anticipation.

"Gunny, how do you know this Suzanne Farrell?" Gibbs inquired.

"She's a friend Sir."

"Just a friend?"

"Just a friend Sir." He watched as the Gunny shifted his attention from Jenny to him and then back. "And your friend Sir."

"Director Shepard," Jenny introduced herself. "We're trying to get Ms Farrell on the line."

"Right. Of course," The Gunny agreed studying the Director. Gibbs watched the interaction. The Gunny wasn't studying her to figure out her size, it was more a puzzled study, a recognition that he wasn't sure about.

"Have we met Gunny?" Jenny asked directly.

"I don't believe so Ma'am." She nodded.

"Hm...I had the privilege of meeting the recent dancers in the Suzanne's latest performance." The Gunny went wide eyed and Gibbs hid a smirk. Jenny reached down for her phone. "I'll take this." Gibbs nodded and waited for her to close the door behind her.

"So want to tell me why you lied to the Director of NCIS?" Gibbs inquired.

"Okay! Yes, I met her! At the ballet, I was the lead dancer in it."

"Now that evening, you were..."

"At the ballet, call was at five and curtain closed at ten, I was out of there by eleven after meeting a few people and then went to crew and dancer party. Was there till three in the morning. I swear I didn't kill the Petty Officer!"

"And I believe you Gunny." The Gunny looked relieved.

"Sir...this doesn't have to come out does it?"

"No Gunny, it doesn't." The Gunny looked more relieved then. "Curious though Gunny, why?"

"My fiance and I met dancing, she played Giselle that evening," Gunny responded. "I didn't like any other guy dancing with her."

"Fair enough." He walked the Gunny out and when he got back to the squad room the team was standing around.

"Boss took care of the baddie," Tony announced.

"He confessed after a little intense questioning," Ziva added on. Gibbs glanced at Jenny.

"She didn't torture him," Jenny assured.

"So you like the ballet Director?" Abby inquired.

"Yes, Suzanne and I are good friends, I go every now and then."

"Do you have a favorite?" McGee inquired.

"Hm... I like a lot of the stories, but I think my favorite is the Dancing Princess."

"That is the one where the Princesses wear out their shoes, yes?" Ziva clarified.

"That's the one. We saw it in..."

"Cairo, yes I remember." Jenny smiled at her friend.

"I don't get though, I mean why do ballet?" Tony questioned out loud. "No wonder the guys made fun of him. Twinkle toes?" Tony felt his head go forward a bit harder than usual. "Right Boss, didn't mean to..."

"DiNozzo..." Gibbs warned and the younger man gulped.

"Some women find men who know ballet very attractive, Tony," Jenny informed with a smile.

"Really?" He sounded very interested all of a sudden.

"Flexibility is everything Tony," Ziva continued sweetly as Abby tried to hide giggles.

"So all women like male ballet dancers?" McGee clarified.

"I do," Jenny answered. "Well, just two really." She turned and headed for her office leaving a gaping DiNozzo in her wake and Ziva and Abby in stitches of laughter.

"Shut it DiNozzo," Gibbs commanded, slapping his agent upside the head again before following Jenny up to her office. Her comment needed an explanation. He found her sitting at her desk starring off into space. "Working hard, Director?"

"Hardly working," she laughed lightly. He said nothing just watched her for a minute. "What?"

"So all women like male dancers?"

"Don't tell me your jealous," she teased.

"Curious."

"Well, I only really liked two," she defended. He nodded gesturing for her to go on. "Mikhail Baryshnikov."

"You're joking?"

"Nope, I wanted to go to Juliard and dance with him in Swan Lake," she revealed. "I don't think I even minded the age difference so much," she sighed.

"That's just..."

"You asked."

"Is this like your crush on Sean Connery?"

"Oh yes, although it would be a difficult choice if they were both in the picture." He shook his head, he'd entertained her school girl crush on Sean Connery, but Baryshnikov, that just wasn't fair.

"And this other ballet dancer?" He asked. She smiled and shook her head.

"You sound like a jealous husband."

"And you're being evasive, who is he?"

"Do you know ballet dancers Jethro?"

"A few," he answered. She simply nodded. "Who is he, Jen?" He tried again.

"Don't you have work to do?"

"Team Leader, aka delegator."

"That how it works?" He nodded. She picked up a large pile of paperwork. "Director outranks Team Leader, you get more paperwork."

She stood and dropped it in front of him. He sat stunned while she grabbed her coat and purse. She didn't make it out of her office though. Cynthia saw the door open, push close, and then the lock click. She made herself scarce.

"Jethro, you can't lock me in my office."

"Works the same as an ivory tower, so yes I can, besides then I get your undivided attention."

"Cynthia knows I'm in here."

"Tony can distract her."

"Nice try. Let me out."

"You're not supposed to leave without a detail."

"Then I won't leave, I'll just go downstairs."

"Heavily monitored area."

"FINE! I'll go to the gym, and you better let me or you're going to turn into a dead weight."

"Alright, sheesh woman, enough with the violence, I already have war wounds from you."

"Like hell you do," she muttered.

"Those claw..." His sentence was muffled as she clamped her hand over his mouth.

"Shut up." He nodded and she moved away unlocking her door and stomping off to the elevator. Gibbs followed at a slower pace, but he lost her in the halls and when he reached the gym she was no where to be found. _Abby will know._

"Gibbs!" Abby greeted through the phone.

"Abby could you locate the Director?"

"Uh...she just left here, said something about going to beat the crap out of a bag, try the gym."

"She's not here."

"Well, she should be soon, the gym is basically closed to everyone right now anyway."

"Oh?"

"Yea, problem with the security monitors."

"I see, well I'll wait for her."

"Okay silver fox." Gibbs hung up the phone and turned to his locker. _Chances are she slipped her detail. Well, she'll get curious when I don't come after her. I'll go by the house tonight_. He decided that with the gym pretty much closed no one would come looking for him there, they would all think he was with the Director. He slipped into some work out gear, sealed the exits and turned on the classical music he'd swiped from Jenny's office. It was one way to relax.

* * *

Jenny heard the music turn on and breathed a sigh of relief. _Took him long enough!_ She was sure he would have left little alarms around so she carefully moved to the entrance from the changing area. She was trying to figure out how to intrude without beginning World War Three. Gibbs was a private person, and she suspected that no one knew about his ability, not even Shannon, which meant she was going to be in a world of trouble if her plan failed. She fixed the tie on her shoes momentarily and watched some more trying to insert herself seamlessly into the dance. She didn't want to push him away, and she didn't want to piss him off. Finally, he moved closer but she shied away. The music changed to the _Coda _from _The Nutcracker_ and he started but slowed down and she took that as her opportunity.

"Ever tried it with a partner?" Her voice startled him and he tensed, not turning to meet her gaze. She paused where she was before coming closer again.

"I thought you left the building," he said hurriedly. She smiled. "I'll just..."

"You're not going anywhere, Jethro. We're going to have an actual conversation if it kills you." She stepped in front of him tapping his chin with her finger, so he looked up. He looked embarrassed, and she imagined he was, but she wasn't going to let him off the hook. "C'mon." She pulled him to the far side of the room.

"I thought we were going to have a conversation even if it kills me?" He questioned sounding confused for a change.

"We are. Dancing beats small talk any day." She changed the CD out and moved ahead a few tracks before hitting play.

_Dancing is a language that is felt instead of heard_

_You can whisper, sing or shout without so much as a word_

_Try it, go on, like so..._

She twirled away from him but he grabbed her hand and caught her bring her back to dance with him. He let her use him for a support and was surprised at how light she could be.

_Just let your emotions tell your body what to do_

_See how much a single gesture can reveal!_

_And every little step_

_Ev'ry single step_

_Is one step closer_

_To saying what you feel_

She started a waltz step to encourage his participation in this. She was not going to dance all alone. Gibbs lead the waltz turns trying to avoid stepping on her delicate slipper glad feet. She tapped his chin when his eyes focused on the ground.

_Once the music hits you, inhibitions fall away_

_And you find that you're expressing things_

_Your voice daren't say_

_Don't be afraid, let go!_

He finally seemed comfortable with her dancing with him and so they separated for a few turns and she was surprised at how in sync they were.

_Soon as you surrender, what's inside will sweep on through_

_As the boundaries between us disappear!_

_And ev'ry little step_

_Ev'ry single step_

_Is one step closer_

_To talking loud and clear_

Jenny watched as she landed a jump as he followed her in the same jump. He was good, and it wasn't just natural talent. He'd practiced and to her he actually seemed relaxed for a change. She couldn't remember ever seeing the expression on his face before. She quite happily took his hand again as he led her in another turn

_A dance is like a conversation_

_Except you never need to make a sound_

_And once you've begun_

_You speak as one_

_Give and take_

_Back and forth_

_Round and round_

He seemed to enjoy spinning her around and she let out small giggles when he did, that were met with actual smiles of happiness instead of smirks. He wouldn't lie, it had everything to do with her hair flowing around her shoulders, she looked free when she spun.

_A dance is like a conversation_

_Except your lips don't ever need to part_

_And once you've begun_

_You speak as one_

_Cheek to cheek_

_Toe to toe_

_Heart to heart_

He didn't mind the slow dancing portion of this either. It had seemed like forever ago that he'd held her in his arms this way and he was quickly reminded of why he never wanted to let go.

_Dancing is a language that is felt instead of heard_

_But it says much more than language ever could_

_And ev'ry little step_

_Ev'ry single step_

_Is one step closer..._

_One step closer..._

_One step closer_

_To being understood_

She thought about stepping away as the music faded but her body revolted and kept her feet firmly planted where they were. She was quite happy. Their dancing had slowed to the sway they had saved for late nights in a Paris Cafe, but she didn't mind. If he could dance with her this way, there was hope for them yet. The dancing wasn't something she'd shared the fact that she'd shared it with him told her mind that this was why nothing else worked, because this was what was meant for her. She didn't care if there was no wedding bands or promises of forever, she wanted to be his partner and that meant accepting what was there and not what society dictated should be there. Society could go to hell.

"There, that wasn't difficult was it?" She teased after a minute. She held her breath as he processed the question.

"Well, I'm not dead," he retorted. "Guess it wasn't terrible."

"Nice Jethro, real nice," she sighed.

"Your father took you to your first ballet didn't he?" Gibbs asked gently.

"Yes, he did, I begged for lessons for weeks afterward till he finally gave in."

"Kelly wanted to try it, she liked twirling around." Jenny smiled encouragingly, she would not ask past what he offered, but the smile couldn't be helped. "Shannon didn't quite get where she got it from."

"She got it from you....or was it your mother?"

"My...my mother was a dance teacher for a while when I was kid. She taught me, always wanted a girl, but there was just me."

"She did a good job, you're a wonderful dancer."

"Yea...well..."

"I know, I know, Rule 4," she laughed lightly. He smiled watching her move to sit at the weight bench and take off her shoes.

"So usually when I take a girl dancing I take her to dinner first," he began.

"Is that an invitation?"

"If you want it to be."

"I would love dinner," she assured. "Just as soon as I put regular clothes on."

"That I can help with!"

"Maybe later Jethro," she teased. They met back up in the hallway, back in their work attire, no one the wiser to their previous activities. He was leaning against the wall when she stepped back out, and he looked up at her with a very puzzled expression. "So about that dinner?

"What ever you want," he said distracted.

"I might make you to take me to Palena's."

"Yea okay," he agreed walking along side her. She stopped and turned to face him irritated with the sudden distraction.

"Jethro, are you always this distracted by something?"

"What?" He asked realizing they'd stopped.

"You're not listening to a word I said."

"Well, I..."

"What is it?"

"The dancing...you didn't seem so surprised that I could dance." He left it an open question.

"So? You didn't seem surprised that I could."

"You're a girl, girls have ballet lessons."

"There are a point in that heavily sexist comment?"

"Well, how did you know I even could, I mean I saw you..." he faded off realizing what he had revealed.

"You saw me what?"

"A couple nights ago, I saw you dancing. I...didn't think you'd like an audience."

"Hm...so you've been spying on me."

"NO! I was...going to see if you wanted to call a truce...about the fighting."

"Well, if you were truly spying then you know how no one else figured it out."

"The security tapes."

"Yep, so you can't really be surprised as to how I know you know how to dance."

"You saw the footage."

"Yep."

"But you didn't say anything?"

"Jethro I've known you close to a decade know, I know when to shut up."

"So you weren't going to tell me ever?"

"Seemed like a very good idea at the time." He sighed, holding out his hand for hers.

"C'mon Jen, let's get dinner." She seemed surprised at the gesture but it took it gently, shocked when he pulled her closer. The walk to his car was silent as was the drive to the out of the way Bistro they had once gone to frequently. He opened her door and helped her out of the car while giving his keys to the valet. They entered and got a table in the back corner, just the spot for two paranoid agents. The water was poured, drinks were delivered and they stared at spots on the wall behind each other.

"So..." she tried to break the silence. They'd never had awkward moments before, but this was a completely different situation.

"You said you liked two ballet dancers, you never told me who the other was?" "Sometimes Jethro, the obvious really does escape you," she mumbled.

"Heard that," he countered. "So let me guess, he's got...blue eyes?"

"A necessity."

"Ah, and he's...in decent shape?"

"Better be."

"Of course, and he's a very dashing...uh...what does Abby call it?"

"Silver fox."

"Exactly, a dashing Silver Fox."

"I suppose."

"And you never said anything before because..." She raised an eyebrow. "C'mon Jen, I have to know who he is so I can kill him."

"Well, I'd rather you not kill him, I like him just the way he is thank you, scars and all," she replied.

"Really?" He sounded surprised.

"Sometimes Jethro, I want to strangle you."

"Yea, you've mentioned that before, but there was usually an or attached to it."

"Or what?"

"Kiss me senseless?" He offered.

"That was you in regards to me."

"Was it?" He tried to look innocent and she just smirked, as dinner was laid before them. The topic was avoided neatly for the rest of the meal and even as he walked her to her doorstep. She invited him in, and he accepted, she did have the best bourbon after all. However it was the glass sitting next to the divan that reminded him of the night she'd passed out, and how he'd only pushed his worry away temporarily. "Jen."

"Hm?"

"About that night..."

"What about it?" her tone had changed, gone was the light, happy, replaced by a strong defensive one. He pulled the bourbon out of her hand and sat her down on the divan.

"What's going on?" he asked gently.

"I don't..."

"You do Jenny," he warned. "Ever since I came back you've been..." he shrugged.

"I've been what?"

"Distant, we haven't been close since you became Director...not as close as we had been, but now...I feel like I hardly know you, I don't like it."

"Why because now you can't predict what I'll do?"

"No...well okay maybe a little, but it's more like...you don't seem to trust me." She relaxed fractionally at that. She knew how hard it was for Leroy Jethro Gibbs to actually talk about his feelings and she was glad that their new secret had let him open up.

"I trust you Jethro, I wouldn't say the feeling is mutual."

"I trust you with my life," he defended.

"Not with anything else," she responded. He heard her but decided not to comment. She didn't need to know she was wrong.

"So what's going on? You don't drink that much usually."

"Stress..."

"Not just stress...is this about DiNozzo being out of work early?" he wondered aloud, pondering if she knew something he didn't. She turned pale. "He's not sick is he? He told me he wasn't and I swear that boy..."

"He's not sick," she assured.

"But you know."

"I..." she fidgeted. Sign number one she was keeping something from him. "I don't know." Her right eye twitched, sign number two.

"When you lie, your right eye twitches, always has." She gulped.

"He's...he's working undercover and no I can't tell you more than that."

"Since when?" He demanded standing up needing to figure this out on his own.

"Since your little margarita safari, I needed someone I could trust Jethro, and if you trusted him, it was good enough for me."

"What is this about?"

"Jethro I can't..." She paused. "You can ask Tony."

"I'm asking you!"

"And I can't tell you!" She snapped back.

"But it's obviously affecting you, the drinking and such."

"Fine, if that's what you want to think."

"If its not that, then what the hell is it?" He demanded turning back to her. Her eyes were focused on the carpet and he wondered if perhaps he was hitting a topic to close to home.

"You don't get to tell me what to do," she snapped.

"No, you took that away from me," he reminded. "Doesn't mean I don't care." She was silent but stiffened as he sat down beside her. "Fornell said you're a loose cannon. I didn't want to believe him."

"Do you think I am?"

"I know something is haunting you, and you're defending yourself. It's dangerous, you've always been dangerous."

"To you or to everyone?"

"To me," he answered.

"Eventually when you play with fire you get burned."

"Is that what happened to you?" He inquired.

"It's what happened to both of us and you know it," she challenged. She stood facing him. "We never talked about it, I never said I didn't love you when I left, you just assumed it. I never thought you loved me, but you did, at least at some point."

"So where does that leave us?" He asked.

"I know it leaves me miserable and unhappy," she muttered. He stood at that with a faint smile.

"Misery loves company," he sighed, his hand reaching out to her waist. "No one ever has to know."

"You don't think your team would figure it out?"

"That is what these," he whacked the back of her head. "Are for."

"Hey!"

"You know this means you're not allowed to run again," he stated tightening his hold on her.

"I'm always going to be ambitious Jethro, just like you're always going to be silent and difficult."

"Yea but really what would you want to do after being Director of NCIS? SecNav?"

"Well, being Fornell's Boss' Boss might be fun, but I don't know."

"See, so therefore you can't run, and when you do decide to, well I can retire and go after you."

"You've got this all figured out?" She asked.

"I had a lot of time to think in Mexico," he answered. "Mike was a good listener."

"You talked...about me?" she wasn't sure she liked this idea.

"Well, you a subject of interest to him. I think he has a crush on you," he whispered cheekily. "But I set him straight." She smirked at that.

"I just bet you did."

"And that doctor..."

"Todd was never going to be anything more than a friend, I think he came to terms with that."

"Good, so can we go back to the dancing that was more fun," he suggested. She glared at him. "Okay, okay. More talk." She cocked her head to the side amused as he sat himself back down in the chair, resigning himself to a longer discussion. He would talk as long as she wanted, but really, would it hurt to have one kiss for compensation? She leaned down to him her hands cupping his face.

"Later," she replied letting her lips brush against his.

"So we are on for dancing?"

"A different kind of dancing," she said pulling him towards the stair case. They were half way through her bedroom when like all situations that you want to happen, they were stopped by the incessant ringing of telephones. At first neither heard the loud irritation, engrossed in each other, but Gibbs' ears picked up and turned his agent side rearing his ugly head. When he pulled back slightly it was enough of a break for Jenny to hear the phone as well and her Director half deciding it was more important. Neither Jenny or Jethro were very happy with their other halves as they answered the phones.

They stood together leaning against each other for support as they listened to the other person on the phone. They hung up simontenously, Gibbs glancing at the bed knowing he wasn't getting to it anytime soon.

"Case," he said. "Something high profile."

"I know," she replied. "The Army is waiting for you."

"They're sending their excuse for crime investigators?"

"Try not to kick sand at anyone," she instructed pulling her hair in some semblance of order.

"I'll do my best." He kissed her forehead gently. "When this is over you're taking a day off."

"Am I?"

"Hm, hm."

"Well, then you better get going," she teased. He laughed as they both righted their clothing. She walked him to the door, where he paused.

"How you going to get to work?"

"The town car," she said. He nodded and waved as he got into his car and took off for the crime scene. She smiled faintly her body humming with desire and ran up stairs to change. The faster she changed the faster she could see him again.

* * *

There was one tiny problem with her plan. Sure she could see him again, that wasn't going to be a problem, they did work in the same building. She just wouldn't get to see him alone. The whispers were already down to security by the time she walked through. Agent Gibbs had found his fourth ex-wife. She had never considered herself a jealous woman, at least until she spotted the Army Colonel. Colonel Hollis Mann was a blonde, semi-attractive woman who could obviously hold her own against Gibbs and his team. Jenny watched from the catwalk as she entered her office not wanting to seem incredibly obvious, Gibbs looked her way briefly and nodded. She ignored it and went straight for her office. _I need a drink_.

She knew she had little cause for worry, after all the woman was blonde, but then again who knew these days. _It's not fair,_ she pouted as she poured herself a drink. She had to have been blind not to notice that the Colonel was attracted to Gibbs. Yes, he was attractive man, but she had the overwhelming urge to go out there and punch the witch. _She's probably nice too_, her mind taunted and her pouting turned to anger. She didn't go to her desk simply dropped her stuff in the visitor's chair and moved to the drink cabinet. By the end of the she would be back where she was three days ago, drowning her sorrows in bourbon.

Gibbs had noticed her fast retreat to her office but it wasn't a cause for alarm, just puzzlement. He too had heard the whispered comments about the Colonel Mann, but he paid them no heed. Yes, he found her mildly attractive and he could see where someone would get the idea that he might like her, but he why would he settle when he had what he wanted? He had noticed the tension in the room when he entered Jen's office with Mann but he really didn't seem to get it. It wasn't until much later that he noticed he had quite by accident unleashed the fury that is Jenny Shepard jealous. He was quite proud of himself and couldn't help the smirk that crossed his face.

* * *

Later that night, he wasn't surprised to find the light still shining from within Jenny's study when he showed up on her doorstep. He knocked gently on the solid wood door and waited. It was a few minutes before she pulled it open.

"Did you piss off the Army?" She inquired.

"No, don't think so," he answered.

"I see you got along with their so called crime investigators just fine," she snapped. He hid a smirk, she was adorable when she was jealous.

"Yea, you know not my type though."

"Your team thought she was," she bit back a response still having not let him in. He pushed her gently inside closing the door behind him as she glared.

"Well, then its probably a good thing they don't get to pick, besides, Abby would be pissed off if they did, she's got two grand on us," he informed. He could tell she was trying to hide her confusion.

"What?"

"Abby placed bets on Mommy and Daddy getting together, so far she's winning, but we don't need to tell her that," he said. She processed that information and took a step back.

"This can't be like before Jethro," she said slowly, thinking out every syllable. "I..."

"You'll get in trouble, I know," he answered. "That's why its a secret, and we're so good at keeping secretes." He pulled her closer carefully waiting for her to give in and she did, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"You can tell Abby, if just to see Tony fork over the money," she told him and he laughed. He nodded and pulled her closer kissing her forehead gently. "So how about we take that day off now?"

"Works for me, on one condition," he said.

"I am not dancing in the rain, my shoes would be ruined!"

"Nah, I was thinking more of a private dance," he suggested huskily, lifting her gently and carrying her up the stairs.

"Guess you'll just have to wait and see," she kissed him as they went through the door.

* * *

The following Monday Ducky was curiously watching Jethro and his team, as Jenny was allowed to interact. Something was different about the team dynamics, he just wasn't sure what. Although, Abby dashing past him, throwing a hasty 'Sorry Ducky!" over her shoulder should have sparked his interest. Instead he was watched as the Goth threw her arms around Jenny sending her backwards into Jethro.

"Thank you!" She exclaimed.

"Abbs, can't breathe," Jenny gasped. The Goth relented only slightly.

"What's gotten into you?" McGee inquired.

"I got the bestest best present ever," she informed.

"A new major mass spec?" Ziva guessed.

"Better."

"The Director got you a caff-pow machine?" Tony tried sounding rather disappointed.

"Nope, although Gibbs I really do want one!"

"Next budget Abbs."

"So what did you get?" Ducky inquired joining the group.

"Ballet tickets!"

"Ballet?" Tony guessed.

"Abby expressed an interest so I thought I would take her to see _The Dancing Princess_," Jenny told the group.

"Girls," Gibbs muttered sounding suspiciously pleased with the development.

"Ziva are you sure you don't want to go?" Jenny asked again.

"Well if Abby is going, I would like to," Ziva agreed, missing the wink between the Director and Gibbs.

"Girls will be girls, right Boss?" Tony felt his head go forward.

"Abby I thought you were going to the club with me?" McGee asked.

"That's Sunday!" Abby pointed out. McGee reluctantly nodded.

"Since the girls seem otherwise occupied, perhaps you would care for drink Gibbs?" Ducky asked his old friend.

"Sorry Duck, plans."

"With an Army Colonel?" Tony couldn't resist.

"DiNozzo!"

"Not that its any of my business of course," Tony replied. _No answer is as good as guilty one, _Tony assumed. He would stake out Gibbs house just in case.

* * *

Abby and Ziva waited outside the entrance of the box Jenny had told them they would be in. They were hesitant to go inside for some reason having not seen Jenny appear yet.

"We should go in and wait," Ziva suggested. Abby nodded taking hold of Ziva's hand hesitantly.

"Do you feel like this is a set up in someway?" Abby asked. Ziva said nothing but pulled back the curtain. They didn't see anyone right away but heard soft voices coming from the front of the box.

"I give it another minute," Jenny said.

"Two, Abby is thinking you're up to something, and Ziva is suspicious."

"Is that..." Ziva faded off as Abby went past her.

"Gibbs!"

"I win," Jenny said as the Goth attached herself to Gibbs.

"Hi Abbs, Ziva," Gibbs greeted.

"Jenny I thought you weren't having a protective detail today," Ziva reminded.

"I'm don't."

"But Gibbs..." Ziva faded off as she and Abby looked from one to the other.

"Oh my God, yes!" Abby squealed trying to keep her voice quiet. "You two?"

"Abby," Gibbs scolded.

"Sorry, but really?"

"We wanted you two to know," Jenny said to Ziva who embraced her friend.

"It's about damn time," Ziva stated. "I can't wait to see Tony's face."

"I need proof," Abby informed.

"We can get you proof," Gibbs assured.

* * *

It was with a very large jaw drop that Tony got off the elevator that morning after a rather annoying weekend. Wherever Gibbs was, it hadn't been at home, but that meant he had no proof he was with the Colonel. So it wasn't rather a surprise to find Gibbs seated at his desk with Jenny sitting on the desk, sharing a cup of coffee. Jenny jumped off as she spotted Tony the first of the team to arrive.

"DiNozzo," she greeted.

"Director," he greeted equally calmly.

"I'll see you later Jethro," she said leaning down to be eye level.

"Lunch?"

"If you're buying," she tossed over her shoulder.

"Always." Tony watched the Director walk past and up the stairs not surprised that Gibbs eyes followed her. Abby came off the elevator with Ziva.

"Gibbs!"

"Abby?"

"Did we miss the Director?"

"Just," Tony answered.

"Oh, well then we'll show her later, look Gibbs!" Abby held out an eight by ten photograph. Tony peered over Ziva's shoulder and found the image of Gibbs with his arm around the Director, and his lips against hers. Tony wasn't sure what happened, but Abby laughed, Ziva smirked and Gibbs whacked his head a little harder than usual.

"DiNozzo, I believe you owe Abby something." Tony quite reluctantly handed over the money as he tried to process Jenny in a ballerina gown and Gibbs holding her, like those ballet dancers did in the Nutcracker. He read Abby's caption.

_The Dancing Princess and her Prince. _

THE END

* * *

**Author's Rant**

As much as I love reviews, If you are going to ask when an upate of any other story is going to occur, do not leave one.


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